Vol 2 Chapter 42.5 (1/2)
Chapter 42.5
Day 260 after being summoned to another world: (Those who move behind the scene)
”With that being said... My report ends here, is that alright? Your Highness.”
Sudou sat in the chair while facing Princess Sardina who was intently listening to the report. They were currently in Sardina’s private office which resides in the castle of the imperial capital.
Sardina was listening to Sudou report regarding his infiltration into the Rozeria Kingdom.
”I see, well, for now, everything seems to be going well... Though there are some unexpected things that happened, it was a great result in terms of weakening the Rozeria Kingdom... Saitou, is there anything you're concerned about regarding his report?”
Sardina asked Saitou who was standing by her side.
”Let's see, thanks to Sudou-san, we don't have to change much of our plans. If they managed to kill Gerhardt then Princess Ladine will also be killed. For you to be able of making the two of them survived... As expected of Sudou-san. Gerhardt aside, we have already invested a lot of money bringing up that Ladine.”
In response to Saitou’s compliment, Sudou's expression breaks into a smile.
”No no no, It's not really my power you see... That Princess... Oh right, now she's a Queen huh... Well whatever, that woman is really stupid! Even if he's a trustworthy aide, no matter how much she trusts him, to think that she was willing to risk everything for the life of a single knight...”
Sudou said those words of humiliation towards Lupis while also being humble regarding his own ability, but in his eyes, one can see he held confidence in his own intelligence.
One can say such humility is a unique trait of j.a.panese people.
However, such humility is only a form.
And Sardina fully understood that he's actually a prideful and an arrogant person.
One can even say that he's the embodiment of arrogance.
”Although her head is smart, she lacks determination... I guess one can say that was the naivety of a kind hearted person huh?”
Sudou’s criticism spared no mercy regarding Lupis since within his heart, he truly despised her.
”Ah about that... Indeed I too wonder what the enemy's doing... Well, it is good for us if the enemy is stupid though. But if they are too stupid, it makes me feel bored you know...”
Sardina shrugged her shoulders while laughing.
While Sudou nodded his head in agreement,Saitou refutes her words with a slight frown.
”But still Your Highness. Isn’t it also troublesome for us to not destroy them completely this time?”
”Ah, it's about that guy huh... Tch! He’s always getting on my nerves. I really hate that guy!”
Toward Saitou's words, Sardina spat out only hateful words.
Saitou's words made her mood instantly getting worse.
The face of a young man that looks a bit older compared to his real age appeared inside her mind, which she tried to shake off.
Well her hatred toward him is justified.
After all, he was the man who got in her way on more than one occasions.
”Well, but just like what we heard from Sudou's report, he's just someone who got involved by accident... I don't think he partic.i.p.ated in this war because he knew of the empire’s movements...”
”That's why it was infuriating... Just when we were figuring out where he ran of to,
we found him partic.i.p.ating in the war, and furthermore by accident? Thanks to him our original plan is barely intact!”
Toward Sudou's relaxed tone, Sardina raised her voice in responding.
”Well it’s something similar to what we’d call fate? He is the one who managed to interrupt Gaies-sama’s grand plan and also single-handedly kill Gaies-sama after all…. Khukhuhu.”
”Fate huh...”
While looking at Sudou laughter, Sardina sighed.
The civil war in Rozeria was actually a strategy that the deceased Gaies had developed in order for the Ortomea Empire to conquer the easter territories of the western continet.
The Ortomea Empire who already conquered the central part of the western continent was planning on conquering the eastern parts of the continent while enduring pressure from the Ernest Gora Kingdom situated in the north, and Kirtantia in the west. <tln: the=”” ernest=”” gora=”” kingdom=”” ”エルネスグーラ王国”=”” and=”” kirtantia=”” empire=”” ”キルタンティア皇国”=””>
The national strength of both countries can be said to be almost equal when compared to the Ortomea Empire.
The three-way stalemate has continued for almost 20 years. The countries understood that if two parties were to engage in all out war, the third party would be the one to benefit the most from it.
Despite continuous skirmishes at the borders of each country, none of the countries have launched a major offensive
Gaies, who was the military leader and also the main brainchild of the Ortomea Empire presented a solution to the Empire. It was an established fact that if the Empire(As it was currently) were to launch a major offensive against either the northern kingdom or the western empire that it would be difficult.
Thus, Gaies proposed them to turn their attentions towards the either the southern areas of the western continents or the easter parts of the western continent. Whilst the empire were deciding which to invade first, Gaies recommended them to conquer the eastern areas of the western continent first.
The southern areas were divided into 15 smaller countries which were always having territorial disputes with one another. This meant that there were quite a number of experienced soldiers that could be brought against the Empire’s flag.
On the other hand, the eastern parts of the western continent had 3 kingdoms who had a very long rule, not only did they have a very strict status system,their citizens have tendency of being exploited by their ruler, thus it would be more easy for the empire to control the land after the empire conquers them by giving the citizen lower tax or other things.
With that reason, the Emperor made a royal decree to carry out Gaies’s plans. The first steps into the plan was the civil war of Rozeria Kingdom which also bordered the Zalda Kingdom.
The national strength of each individual nation of the western continent was much weaker when compared to the strength of the Ortomea Empire but if the nations were to join together even Ortomea wouldn’t be able to grasp an easy victory. The purpose of the civil war in Rozeria Kingdom was to divide the eastern powers.
”2 years have already pa.s.sed since the time Gaies received the decree from the emperor and since Sudou found Ladine. After King Farst the second gradually weakened due to age, we used poison to finish him under the guise of a disease and after all the preparations were completed, Gaies ended up pa.s.sing, jeopardizing the plan.”
One can say that the Empire’s plan was in great danger because of Gaies summoning the man called Mikos.h.i.+ba Ryouma.
”Indeed...”
Saitou nodded deeply toward Sardina's words.
”So? What happens to him?”
”Mikos.h.i.+ba Ryouma huh... Well... He's really a crafty one... Although in the grand scheme of things we manage to complete all of our objectives, but...”
Sudou cuts his words midway.
From his expression, one can see he was at lost for words.
”What's wrong? Didn’t you manage to confine him within Wortenia Peninsula?”
”Indeed... I did manage to do just that, but that man... He manages to pull a last minute condition...”
”Eh? What do you mean by that? Isn't he being confined within Wortenia peninsula with the pretext of rewarding him with the territory as Baron? What do you mean by condition?”
Sudou nodded with a serious look toward Sardina surprised expression.
”He's really a manly one... He manages to gauge his opponent vital point just by speaking and Queen Lupis was overwhelmed by him.”
After Sudou gives such a preliminary statement, he began to talk about what had happened during the audience that day.
That day, Ryouma immediately ask for an audience as soon as Lupis had the time for one.
”As expected, you're fast... Mikos.h.i.+ba. I heard you already have an answer?”
Lupis asked Ryouma while maintaininga strong facial expression.
”Yes, your majesty... I'm very happy for your majesty’s offer... If possible I wish to accept it, but...”
Ryouma swiftly cut his words and gazed towards Lupis, she noted that there was no fury in his eyes unlike the previous days. He was trying to show respect towards Lupis.
”Does that means you're going to refuse, Mikos.h.i.+ba?”
Lupis’s voice was getting low and cold, for a ruler to turn a mere commoner to a n.o.ble would be something many commoners would crawl and beg for but even without any words Ryouma understood from the atmosphere.
(Fuuh... Stupid.)
Ryouma suppressed the sudden insult that slipped into his mind.
”I wouldn’t dare... I want to express my deepest grat.i.tude toward your majesty... However...”
”What is it?”
”Before accepting the offer, there's something I would like to confirm... I will accept the reward after hearing the things I want to confirm...”
Due to Ryouma's evasive words, irritation begins to appear within Lupis' heart.
”Your majesty...It would be better for us to listen to what he's going to say, rather than letting him get away...”
Meltina who's standing beside the throne whispers to Lupis.
”Very well... Mikos.h.i.+ba. What do you want to ask?”
Following Lupis permission, Ryouma bows his head as a sign of grat.i.tude.
”Your Majesty... First of all... How much do you know about the current state of Wortenia Peninsula?”
”What do you mean?”
Both Lupis’s and Meltina’s expression were dyed in a colour of doubt.
”Of course, I don't know much about it, but this Wortenia Peninsula seems to have a considerable problem, does it not?”
”Oh, my? Is that how so?”
Lupis attempted to probe Ryouma’s words for the first time and although Lupis did not plan on telling him the truth here, it was quite obvious to Ryouma that she was playing coy.
”Yes... I tried to find information about Wortenia peninsula, and I realized...”
Ryouma turn his eyes toward Lupis once again.
”This Wortenia peninsula, if we look at how big the territory was, it can be said to be a generous offer.. However, there's a problem.”
The problem Ryouma told her are as follows.
1. The tax revenue is 0 because the place had been used to sent exiled criminals, basically, there's no proper citizen there. No citizen no tax income.
2. A lot of powerful monsters inhabited the land, as a result, it would be difficult for ordinary people to live there.
3. The existence of hostile settlements.
4. The issue with pirates who make their base in the territory coastal land.
5. It directly borders Zalda Kingdom, and is filled with constant conflict.
The first and second were the biggest issues. After all, without tax revenue Ryouma’s ability to develop his territory decreases significantly. It is a fact that n.o.bles require revenue to maintain their country so giving a n.o.ble territory with absolutely no revenue or funding is like throwing a live fish in a desert.
It was clear to Ryouma that Lupis bears malicious intent in giving this territory to him but for now Ryouma hid his emotions. One should only show their anger and hatred towards their opponents.
”I see! As expected of Mikos.h.i.+ba Ryouma... In a short time, you've managed to gather that much of information... Does Mikos.h.i.+ba-dono want to reject the offer because of that? Betraying her majesty expectation?!”
Meltina raised her voice to support Lupis who was rendered silenct after Ryouma pointed out all the problem.
”Mikos.h.i.+ba-dono! In response to your achievement in helping to defeat Hodram and Gerhardt, Her Majesty is already breaking customs by making you a n.o.bleman! Indeed, Wortenia peninsula is not a rich territory. However, it is a vast land within the Rozeria Kingdom, comparable to that of a duchy territory. It would be a waste to leave the land as it is and refuse the offer, don't you think so?”
”I see... Does that mean your majesty wants me to develop Wortenia peninsula so that people can live in it?”
”That's right! Indeed it was a harsh land. However, if it's you, I believe we can have a high expectation!... Am I right?”
”Can I take Meltina's words as her majesty intent?”
One can say Meltina put in a good word. ‘Because your an excellent person we give you difficult territories.’. One could interpret it that way. However, Ryouma was not easily deceived by such words.
Ryouma immediately averted his gaze from Meltina and turned towards Lupis who has a stiff expression on her face.
Towards Ryouma's question, Lupis had no choice other than to nod.